Posts Tagged ‘first impressions’

Guy Kawasaki is the former chief evangelist of Apple, amongst other things. In his latest book Enchantment, The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions (Portfolio/Penguin) he gives an accessible tie-together of some of the most popular persuasion techniques and how you might apply them positively to your life, business or creative endeavors.

The author defines enchantment as “the process of delighting people with a product, service, organization, or idea.” Its outcome: “voluntary and long-lasting support that is mutually beneficial.” If not a purveyor of such things, at the very least a working knowledge of how these techniques go to work on human psychology is crucial for not getting hoodwinked or drawn in by the smoke and mirrors of such strategies when used negatively.

So how does enchantment relate to glamour? Being glamorous, like being enchanting, is often the result of you at your most authentic and attractive. It comes from culling that thing about you, that only you have–pulling it forth, optimizing it and unfurling it in the light of day, for all to see. And the results!

The first step on the road to enchantment the practical Kawasaki points out, is likeability. He asks: “Has anyone you disliked ever enchanted you?” And to get to likability, he has a few tips to enhance the four factors that create a good impression:

–Your Smile: Kawasaki points out that it costs nothing to smile. A non-smile “creates an opening for many interpretations, including grumpiness, aloofness, and anger–none of which helps you enchant people.”

–Your Dress: Kawasaki’s recommendation is to “park your ego” and go for “likability–not superiority.” I love that he points out the following: “Underdressing says, ‘I don’t respect you. I’ll dress any way that I please.'”

–Your Handshake: He recaps fundamentals like making eye contact, smiling, standing a moderate distance from the other person and holding the handshake for no longer than two to three seconds. Oh, and making sure your hand is “cool, dry, and smooth.”